China

BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- China's Mars rover Zhurong has accomplished its exploration and detection tasks as planned, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Tuesday.

As of Aug. 15, 2021, Zhurong had worked on the surface of Mars for 90 Martian days, or about 92 days on Earth, with all scientific payloads having started to work on detection tasks, said the administration.

HONG KONG (AP) — Four members of a Hong Kong university student union were arrested Wednesday for allegedly advocating terrorism by paying tribute to a person who stabbed a police officer and then killed himself, police said.

Police arrested four men between 18 and 20 years old who were committee members and members of the student council at the University of Hong Kong, said Li Kwai-wah, senior superintendent of the police national security division. He said the arrests were in relation to a council meeting that “promoted terrorism.”

BEIJING (AP) — European stock markets opened lower Wednesday while Asia advanced as investors awaited an update from the Federal Reserve on possible plans to reduce U.S. stimulus.

Wall Street futures also declined a day after the benchmark S&P 500 index eased off a record high following weaker-than-expected U.S. retail sales.

Investors waited for minutes from July’s meeting of the Fed policy committee for an update on when the U.S. central bank might reduce bond purchases that pump money into the financial system and look at raising interest rates.

BEIJING, August 17. /TASS/: Construction workers on Tuesday completed the laying of rails on the bridge between Russia and China across the Amur River and connected the Russian and Chinese sections of the railroad tracks, China Central Television reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, at 09:58 local time (04:58 Moscow time) at the construction site of the Sino-Russian railway bridge in Tongjiang (Heilongjiang Province), the installation of the last section of rails between Russia and China was completed.

BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Tuesday that astronauts currently in China's space station core module Tianhe will carry out extravehicular activities (EVAs) for a second time within the next few days.

The three Chinese astronauts have been working and living in orbit for two months. They were sent into space on board the Shenzhou-12 spaceship and entered Tianhe on June 17.

BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson urged the United States to abide by the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, sever military links with Taiwan and stop arms sales to the island.

There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, said spokesperson Hua Chunying at a daily press briefing on Tuesday, which marks the 39th anniversary of the issuance of the August 17 Communique.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday organizations that cross “red lines” and disregard national security should disband and the government would not hesitate to cut ties with professional groups that turn political.

Authorities are conducting an ongoing crackdown on dissent in the city, arresting pro-democracy leaders and activists as Beijing seeks to keep Hong Kong in line after months of mass anti-government protests in 2019.

BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets and Wall Street futures sank Tuesday amid turmoil in Afghanistan and unease about China’s economic outlook after weak July activity.

Investors looked ahead to a speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell for an update on the health of the biggest global economy. Traders also awaited U.S. retail sales and factory data.

Markets in London and Frankfurt opened lower. Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong Kong retreated.

BEIJING (AP) — China has expressed a willingness to hold talks with the U.S. to promote a “soft landing” in Afghanistan, while heavily criticizing Washington and again demanding that the Biden administration halt its attacks on China.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in a phone call Monday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, blamed what he called America’s “hasty” military withdrawal the chaos accompanying the Talibain’s seizure of power in Afghanistan, according to a Foreign Ministry statement dated Tuesday.

BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Days before Taliban forces entered the Afghan capital of Kabul, U.S. President Joe Biden said at a news conference that he did not regret his move to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

However, with the news of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani leaving the country and the images of the United States scrambling to evacuate staff and top officials from its embassy in Kabul broadcasted worldwide, U.S. experts said Washington should regret its premature and irresponsible troop withdrawal.